The bill amends the "The Education Equity and Property Tax Relief Act" to enhance state funding for educational programs, including special education, career and technical education, pre-kindergarten programs, and transportation costs. It defines "extraordinary" special education costs as those exceeding four times the core foundation amount and requires the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education to prorate funds if necessary and collect data on varying levels of special education costs. The bill also increases support for English learners by applying a fifteen percent factor to the core-instruction per-pupil amount and tasks the department with prorating and recommending criteria for fund allocation. Insertions in the bill clarify the role of the "department" and the proration process for approved costs that exceed appropriations.

Additionally, the bill introduces state support for school-based mental and behavioral health services, offering to cover half the costs for hiring certified professionals in these fields for three years, starting July 1, 2024. This support is conditional on LEAs maintaining certain student-to-specialist ratios and is only for positions that meet specific criteria. Insertions in the bill include requirements for student-to-specialist ratios, reimbursement conditions, provisions for sharing professionals between schools, and an annual reporting mandate to the general assembly. The bill also states that LEAs will not be reimbursed for positions that do not meet the ratios unless justified by a workload analysis and that schools eliminating existing positions to create new ones under this provision will not receive reimbursement. The act will be effective upon passage.

Statutes affected:
7397: 16-7.2-6